Pediatric Coding Alert

The Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) version 8.2 is now in effect, but experts say the changes to the coding rules won't have much of an effect on pediatricians.

The edits, which are in effect from July 1 until Oct. 1, offer hundreds of new coding bundles but very few affect procedures commonly performed by pediatricians.

"This round was pretty clean for pediatricians," says Joel Bradley, MD, FAAP, a general pediatrician in the Premier Medical Group in Clarksville, Tenn.

One of the reasons the CCI Edits are not causing the outrage that they were known to cause in the past is that changes have been made in the way they are issued. "The nice thing about the edits now is that they are going out in advance," Bradley says. "There's time for some good review by all the specialty societies so at least we have an opportunity to provide comment before they are final."

While the edits should cause no panic, pediatricians should have a look at one set of bundles regarding auditory system codes. CCI 8.2 bundles many procedures with 69210 (Removal impacted cerumen [separate procedure], one or both ears). While pediatricians rarely use most of the codes that now include 69210, Bradley notes that some will occasionally perform tympanostomies, and those codes (69433-69436) now include cerumen removal.

Also, 69420* (Myringotomy including aspiration and/or eustachian tube inflation) now includes 69210.